


Recuérdame (Remember Me)

by Xandynz



Category: Coco (2017)
Genre: AU, Major Spoilers, Social Media
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-12-10
Updated: 2018-08-15
Packaged: 2019-02-13 02:02:17
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 22
Words: 10,680
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12973290
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Xandynz/pseuds/Xandynz
Summary: AU: In a world where Miguel never went to the Land of the Dead, the truth will just have to find other ways to set itself free.*Major spoilers for the movie - read at your own risk*





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> I really loved this movie when I first saw it, and that hasn't changed - seriously, I've been listening to all the songs on repeat, and been busy thinking, "What if...?"
> 
> Also, I'm pretty hesitant about using Spanish terms since I literally do not speak the language... feel free to correct me anytime.
> 
> (Also, my chat-speak level is 0 so sorry)

**_/r/AskReddit:_ I think Ernesto de la Cruz might be my great-great-grandfather?**

Hi, my name is Miguel, and I'm living in Santa Cecilia, which as you all know is the hometown of the greatest musician of all time, Ernesto de la Cruz. We've been staying here for a long, long time, ever since my Mamá Imelda started the family business here.

But yesterday my dog accidentally knocked down her photo from the ofrenda and look what I found?

[picture attached: family portrait of a woman and a girl. A crease separates them from a figure of a man holding a distinct-looking guitar. The man's face has been torn off]

That is definitely Ernesto de la Cruz's guitar! The design is the same (I already checked at his memorial) and it even has the same shiny tooth in the same location.

The only problem is my family doesn't really talk about my great-great-grandfather since he left to become a famous musician. The only person who would still know him is my Mamá Coco, but I don't know how to ask her more, because I think she's starting to forget him too.

I know that she still misses him a lot, because she started asking for her Papá when she saw the photo, and I really want to learn more about him... so what do I do?

 **UPDATE: I found something!!!**  [[link here]](http://archiveofourown.org/works/12973290/chapters/29711868)

 

-0-0-0-

 

Have you tried asking her outright?

[-] U idiot the family will stop him!

[-][-] Sneak behind their backs then

[-][-][-] You fool Abuelita will knows

[-][-][-][-] Know what?

[-][-][-][-][-] EVERYTHING

[-][-][-][-][-][-] So true XD

[12 more comments]

 

-0-0-0-

 

You could try singing one of his songs to her - she's probably heard it all before anyway

[-] do ittt

[-] Imagine if you sang remember me and she really did

[-][-] OMG YAS

[-][-] **OP: Thanks for the comment - it really worked!~**

[2938 more comments]

[-] the power of music

[-][-] The power of Ernesto, more likely... have you seen those biceps

[-][-][-] Ew, he's like, really old

[-][-][-][-] honey, he ded

[-][-][-][-] shun, shun the non-believer

[-][-][-][-][-] that meme has been buried before Ernesto's time

[304 more comments]

 

-0-0-0-

 

But wouldn't you already know if it's him, since he's so famous? He's got so many songs out, it's hard to find someone who doesn't know about him in Mexico.

[-] OP: Mamá Imelda actually banned music from the house, and it's still going on today. So I don't know if the others know a lot about him.

[-][-] But you're actually aware of de la Cruz?

[-][-][-] OP: I've been sneaking his stuff home while no one's looking.

[-][-][-][-] Haha, teenage rebellion at its finest

[186 more comments]

 

-0-0-0-

 

OMG definitely another attention-seeker. Ernesto has already said that music is his life - he def wouldn't have time for a fmaily.

[-] And that's why he left the family in the first place! Learn how to spell.

[-][-] F*** off.

[-][-][-] Wow, so adult.

[-][-][-][-] *This message has been blocked*

[25738 more comments]

 

-0-0-0-

 

What memorial is he talking about though? Maybe this is just a stunt?

[-] think he's talking about the shrine in Santa Cecilia, which is his birthplace.

[-][-] Yes, he is. They even do tours there... I went there last year, and even got to go inside!!

[27 more comments]

[-][-] Wow so cool what a guy got a shrine to himself and everything

[295 more comments]

 

-0-0-0-

 

Is no one going to point out that the body shape is all wrong for Ernesto? Remember, he's a big guy, not as skinny as the picture shows.

[-] IDK, maybe he got fat while he was away

[-][-] You take that back, heathen scum

[-][-] Yeah, no one insults our Ernesto

[4962 more comments]

[-] Maybe... or maybe he was just really, really skinny when he was younger or smth?

[4 more comments]

 

-0-0-0-

 

I don't get it - how do you know it's the same guitar?

[-] OMG do u not have eys check it out [picture attached: comparison zoom-in of the photo and a picture of Ernesto's guitar in interview. The designs on both photos have been circled, and the gold tooth had extra arrows pointing out the same location]

[-] It's such an awesome guitar - so unique-looking!

[-][-] Def really cool... I wonderd how he came up with the design for it

[-] such a trendsetter

[728 more comments]

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: Well, now I know what people mean when they say that they had trouble with the formatting... I've spent way too much time on it, and even now I think it looks a bit odd... let me know if it's too confusing and I'll minimize it.
> 
> More to follow :)


	2. Chapter 2

_**/r/AskReddit:**_ **My great-grand-Papá and his Guitar**

A couple of days ago, I posted about finding a hidden part of a photo that made me think that Ernesto de la Cruz might be my great-great-grandfather [[link here]](http://archiveofourown.org/works/12973290/chapters/29658678) I got some pretty good comments about how to ask my Mamá Coco about her Papá, and tried them out.

Mamá Coco finally remembered him, and got to confirm the family story! And that's not all! She also collected all the letters from her Papá while he was away, and even had a photo of him!

There's just one problem...

[picture attached: family portrait of a woman and a girl. A crease separates them from a figure of a man holding a distinct-looking guitar. The man's face has been torn off, but a small hand lines up a small scrap of photo over the torn edge, for a perfect fit]

... That's _definitely_ not de la Cruz. And Mamá Coco is very sure that this man is her **real** Papá.

So now I'm really confused. Why does he have de la Cruz's guitar? Or rather, how did de la Cruz end up with my great-grand-Papá's guitar?

 

-0-0-0-

 

Maybe the guitar in the photo is a copy?

[-] Nah, de la Cruz 's done plenty of interviews, he always says that it's the only one of its kind.

[-][-] That doesn't mean that people won't copy it tho

[94 more comments]

[-] Maybe Ernesto lent it to him for the photo

[-][-] r u really that stupid? y wld he lent 4 1 photo nly

[-][-][-] oi no need to be rude

[32 more comments]

 

-0-0-0-

 

wat wait wait conspiracy glasses on: de la Cruz stole his guitar

[-] I don't think you need glasses for this since it looks true

[-] mb he just borrowed it

[-][-] And forgot to return it to the family afterwards?

[2838 more comments]

[-] But the guitar in is Santa Cicilia now\? Maybe you can check if its the same one

[-][-] go look at the 1st post by OP. it's the same guitar

[-][-] It's still hanging in the rememberial

[-][-][-] Did you mean: **memorial**

[-][-] I checked the website of the tourism board there. No credit goes to anyone else for his guitar (or his music XP ). All him, all natural.

[112 more comments]

[-] DUN DUN DUN!!!!?!?!??! IS THIS THE ILLUMANTI?

[43 more comments]

 

-0-0-0-

 

Maybe the letters have some sort of clue on how de la Cruz got the guitar?

[-] OP: I already read through them. He does mention a 'Tío Ernesto' once or twice, nothing about his guitar. But there's a lot of his song lyrics

[-][-] Does that mean that your great-grand-father knew de la cruz???

[-][-][-] Idiota of course they know each other. if not howd he get the guitar

[38 more comments]

[-][-] what song slyrics

[-][-] whos???

[-][-][-] whos whats??? XD

[-][-] i think he's saying that the lyrics are de la Cruz's?

[61 more comments]

[-][-] he's copying da le crux lyrics

[-][-][-] LOLOLOLOL spelling a+++

[-][-][-] Wouldn't that make dlc the copy?!? bc guitar is same

[6894 more comments]

 

-0-0-0-

 

FAKE NEWS. FAAAKKKKKEE

[-] go away troll. sTop abusing capslock

[-] myy eeaarrs ;_;

[-] who else knows about the letters/

 

-0-0-0-

 

what about the letters? any clues there?

[-]u shoudl check the letters they may be fakes

[16 more comments] 

[-][-]send to a meseum to check

[-][-][-] he's still a kid. check with ur fam 1

[9 more comments]

[-] you live in santa cecilia, literally everyone there is an expert on dlcruz. go ask them

[134 more comments]

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: It's hard trying to sound like 237847939 different Internet opinions at once, but I like to think that I've somewhat succeeded, mis-spellings and all XD 
> 
> More to follow :)


	3. Chapter 3

**Verification Report**

 

** Application: **

Verification of Historical Documents, forwarded from Santa Cecilia tourism board

 

**Item(s) for Verification:**

Handwritten letter (Historical Document) - 25 units (sorted by visible written date)

 

**Summary of Material Testing:**

Testing of Historical Documents 1-25 conclude that the items were created between 1920-1921, within a time span of 6-8 months.

Age of wood pulp and paper chemicals present in the Paper are consistent with the production method of paper within the early 1920's. The blotting of the Ink on paper is further indicative of the quality of paper inherent within that time period (see Section 3.2 for full list of Material tests).

 

**Summary of Written Content(s):**

The Historical Documents place the written contents within the same time period of 1920-1921, evidenced by the references to national events in Historical Documents 3, 16, and 18 (see Section 4.4 for comparison to real-time events).

Historical Documents 2, 4-9, 11-17, and 19 have also been compared to the discography of singer Ernesto de la Cruz, due to similarity of written content. The lyrics of both parties have a match of over 94.5%. As such, the publication dates of both parties have also been compared, with the original writer of the Historical Documents preceding by a range of 6 months to 4 years (see Sections 4.6-4.9 for the full timeline comparison).

 

**Verification Results:**

Historical Documents are Authentic to early 1920's

 

**Other Notes:**

See attached documents for follow-up actions re: Rivera family

~~Holy shit did de la Cruz copy off some poor bastard~~

**~~Congratulations to the person who leaked this report - we'll be holding a mandatory seminar for all staff on our confidentiality policy this Thursday.~~ **

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: And here we vary the formatting a bit, and stir up the waters...
> 
> More to follow :)


	4. Chapter 4

**The Man Behind The Music**

"Seize your moment!"

This often-quoted saying by musical icon Ernesto de la Cruz still remains a staple even in today's culture, with many of Mexico's top artists living by it as their motto.

But several documents have surfaced that hint at a darker tone than the inspiration it seems - that perhaps de la Cruz seized much more than the opportunities within his grasp.

A recent report by the National Institute of Anthropology and History verified the authenticity of a series of letters in the months leading up to de la Cruz's debut. During this time, the unnamed writer penned a set of songs that would be later turned into de la Cruz's first few albums.

[article picture: a full-page shot of a timeline, marked with different points on either side of the dated line. The ones on the left are noticeably earlier, with the ones on the other side stretching out over months and years.]

A mystery ghost writer behind the self-proclaimed 'creator of originality' - what other secrets might be hiding behind that slowly-cracking facade?

 

This article was written by **Mari Gonzales**

_**Mari Gonzales** enjoys walking her two dogs by the beach and pan dulce - sometimes even at the same time._

 

 

 

**Comments - no anonymous comments allowed**

 --o--

This is just click-bait. No names of the accusers, just rumors.

 --o--

You know what they said - a picture tells 1000 words. Pics or it didn't happen.

 --o--

I guess the writer isn't a big fan of de la Cruz.

 --o--

Ah, Ernesto - the founding father of remixes. Anyone else ever notice how his later albums are just cut-and-pasted from his older stuff?

 --o--

Do you know if the Institute will release the report to the public? It sounds like it'll be an interesting read.

 --o-- 

Anyone notice the logo on the report? Seems legit

 --o--

Really? You manage to take a photo from what looks to be the report itself, but can't even bother to check the 'unnamed writer'?

 --o--

36 more comments


	5. Chapter 5

**People go "Poco Loco" over de la Cruz**

First reported by a lone reporter in search of the truth, the article about Ernesto de la Cruz's mysterious ghost writer has since had plenty of others popping out of the wood work, each with their own stories to tell about the Mexican star.

"Papá always said that Ernesto was one slick guy," recalls Lucas Suarez, whose father was a stagehand who worked in the background of many of de la Cruz's own shows. In fact, Lucas was even present during that fateful last show, having had the chance to sneak in on account of his father.

"He didn't really know how to deal with kids, so mostly he just ignored me. But I saw how he treated everyone back stage, including my Papá, and I was not impressed at all. It wouldn't really surprise me if he actually took the credit for someone else's work."

Another person who has since come forth is Fernando Quesada, a long-time fan who currently holds the record for most Ernesto de la Cruz shows attended.

"I remember meeting Mr. de la Cruz a couple of nights before his bell finally rang," he said, showing us the signed autograph that until now has held pride of place in his home for over 70 years. "He was always very happy to meet his fans." Upon hearing about the latest rumors that have spread over the Internet, he only sighed.

"These popular people, they're always going to get a lot of stuff said about them like this. It'll blow over soon, just like it did back then." He is referring to the accusations by movie co-star Macaria Vega about de la Cruz during the filming their third and final movie together. Although the case was finally settled outside of court, this ultimately proved a black mark against the actress's reputation.

We tried to contact the Ernesto de la Cruz Foundation for their statement, but as of the time of this article being published, have received no response yet.

What do you guys think? Leave your comments below! 

 

**Comments**

\--o--

Sad. What is the world coming to, when even a reputable news site like this starts gossip.

\--o--

Congrats to the writer. You picked what were probably the most unqualified people to talk about dlc. Try to find people closer to the situation next time

\--o--

Man, now the stuff about Vega makes me start to wonder if dlc had a hand in that as well

\--o--

I'm surprised the foundation hasn't moved to shut this down yet. they're usually much more on the ball.

\--o--

This title is really misleading! I thought this was going to be a recollection piece!

\--o--

These people just want their 5 minutes of fame, dont listen to them

\--o--

I love Macaria Vega! Pity she stopped making movies so soon. She was awesome in 'Two Brothers'

\--o--

[238 more comments]


	6. Chapter 6

**Music World Shocked after New Documents Emerge!**

Mexico's music industry was silenced today, with the emergence of rumors that the 'creator of originality' may have been involved in plagiarism. We spoke to a representative from the recording studio behind many of de la Cruz's biggest hits... (read more)

\----- 

**Ernesto de la Cruz-ed by, Others do the work**

You ever have that one person during team projects, who never does anything and then steals all the credit afterwards? Well, it looks like Ernesto de la Cruz really is, that sort of person... (read more)

\----- 

**Ghost Writing: The Difficulty in Telling Their Stories**

Ever since the first article on a possible plagiarism scandal by Mexican icon Ernesto de la Cruz [(link here)](http://archiveofourown.org/works/12973290/chapters/29763048), at least 17 people have stepped forth from around the country, claiming to be related to de la Cruz's possible ghost writer... (read more)

\-----

**National Institute of Anthropology and History refuses to release authentication report on de la Cruz, citing confidentiality clause**

With the recent plagiarism scandal surrounding musical legend Ernesto de la Cruz, many were hoping that the initial analysis report by the Institute would be released soon, but a spokesperson for the organization spoke on Friday... (read more)

\----- 

\--0--

Opening up my newsfeed like 'wat up'  
#yikes #de la cruz #plagiarism #scandal #ghost writer

3927 notes

\--0--

I can relate. My family's been talking about nothing else... even my Tía M knows what's going on!

#big news #de la cruz #scandal #plagiarism is bad #everybody talks everybody talks #i heard it on the grapevine #my tía also heard it on the grapevine

1068 notes

\--0--

Just flicked on the tv - all the channels are talking about it!

#where's the real news #de la cruz #scandal #remember me

206 notes

\--0--

Can you imagine if this turns out to be true? I used to be such a big fan too

#de la cruz #scandal #plagiarism is bad #a moment of silence #for his reputation #dead and gone

153 notes

\--0--

Man, the Foundation are still sticking with their "No Comments"... makes me think they have something to hide... | ू•ૅω•́)ᵎᵎᵎ

#conspiraacy glasses #let me get 'em #de la cruz foundation #plagiarism #scandal #plagiarism is bad

97 notes

\--0--

Remember him... for soon he will be gone...

#sorry couldn't resist #bad puns #a moment of silence #reputation dead and gone #de la cruz #scandal

45 notes


	7. Chapter 7

To: toma.sa@dlcruzfoundation.com; legal@dlcruzfoundation.com; pr@dlcruzfoundation.com  
From: adel.ag@dlcruzfoundation.com

**Subject: Recent de la Cruz claims**

 

Hi All,

I'm sure that you've heard about the latest rumors that have sprung up regarding our beloved foundation icon (e.g. here and here). Normally, we'd just let it blow over, since most of them are ~~talking out of their ass~~  later proven false, and we had expected this to go the same way.

Unfortunately, the Internet has picked up the momentum for this latest round, so we'll be holding an emergency meeting in an hour for damage control. Please be ready to bring your suggestions to the table.

 

_Seize your moment!_

**_Adelmira Aguera, Head of PR_ **  
**_Ernesto de la Cruz Foundation_ **

 

\---=---

 

To: legal@dlcruzfoundation.com; pr@dlcruzfoundation.com; adel.ag@dlcruzfoundation.com  
From: toma.sa@dlcruzfoundation.com

**Subject: Meeting Minutes re: recent de la Cruz claims**

 

Hi All,

Thank you for attending today's emergency meeting about the most recent situation. After reviewing the facts, we'll need to get on top of this ASAP.

PR team: Please send out a general statement to the press by today - we won't be accepting any questions, etc. Make sure to mention that we'll be following up on all claims, that'll get most of them off our backs.

Legal team: Please standby, we'll need all the facts before we pursue our options.

Good job to Adel for contacting the first reporter already. Since she refused to give up the name of her informant, please contact the Institute for a copy of the original report instead, but keep it quiet for now. The last thing we want is to start up more rumors.

We'll hold a follow-up meeting first thing tomorrow.

 

_Seize your moment!_

**_Tomas Saldana, VP_ **  
**_Ernesto de la Cruz Foundation_ **

 

[Attachment: Meeting Minutes.doc]

 

\---=---

 

To: nico.ca@dlcruzfoundation.com  
From: leon.so@dlcruzfoundation.com

**Subject: A lead re: recent de la Cruz claims**

 

Hi Nicolas,

Our intern found an online post that's really blown up the rumors: [(here)](http://archiveofourown.org/works/12973290/chapters/29658678) and [(here)](http://archiveofourown.org/works/12973290/chapters/29711868)

She's tried to contact the original commenter, but no response so far - although we think he might be a minor.

We've got his name - Miguel, with relatives called Imelda and Coco, and they live in Santa Cecilia. There's also a photo attached. It'll take a day to send someone there to follow up on that. In such a small town, someone's bound to recognize this Miguel soon.

Should we bring it up in tomorrow's meeting?

 

_Seize your moment!_

**_Leon Solano, Legal_ **  
**_Ernesto de la Cruz Foundation_ **

 

[Attachment: PosterFamilyPhoto.jpeg]

 

\---=---

 

To: leon.so@dlcruzfoundation.com  
From: nico.ca@dlcruzfoundation.com

**Subject: re: A lead re: recent de la Cruz claims**

 

Leon,

No need - just send someone to go check on it. If it doesn't work out, fine.

If you find the kid, make him stop stirring things up. We're busy enough as it is with the other claims, we don't need a kid trying to ~~butt in~~ get his 5 minutes of fame.

 

_Seize your moment!_

**_Nicolas Caballero, Head of Legal_ **  
**_Ernesto de la Cruz Foundation_ **

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: And... introducing a new player! Let's see how this'll turn out then, shall we?
> 
> More to follow :)


	8. Chapter 8

**Incident Report - Santa Cecilia Policía**

 

\--- PAGE 1

Time: 3:00 PM

Location: Middle of Mariachi Square, Santa Cecilia

Officers at Scene: R. Flores, S. Alba

 

Initial Action: I was called to the location after reports of a disturbance were called in to the station.

Incident Details:

Upon arrival in Mariachi Square, I observed that there was a huge group of people surrounding the middle of the square. After clearing away the onlookers, I saw an old woman (Rivera, Elena, 65 y.o.) attempting to hit a middle-aged man (Toledo, Luis, 43 y.o.) with her slipper. Both of them were shouting at each other.

Behind Elena Rivera were her grandchildren (Rivera, Rosa, 14 y.o.) (Rivera, Miguel, 12 y.o.) who were standing further away from the man. I blocked the two adults from each other to stop the argument, and then tried to get Elena Rivera to put the shoe down. Officer Alba moved Luis Toledo to stand away from the Rivera family, keeping watch for any sudden actions.

Officer Alba and I then brought our separate persons to the station to take their statements.

 

\--- PAGE 2

**Witness Statements**

Witness: Rivera, Elena (65 y.o.)

Incident Witnessed:

I was coming home from the market when I heard a loud shout, and then Rosa came running up to me saying that Miguel was in trouble. When I got there, I saw that  _estúpido_ man had chased my darling grandson all the way through Mariachi Square and was trying to catch him. But my Miguel is very smart, he knows how to keep away from strange men. And I guess that those **musicians** (she frowns at the word) were helpful in keeping him away too.

_ Prompted question: Who was the man chasing Miguel? _

Some annoying man that had been making trouble near the house, disturbing good hardworking people to ask his silly questions. He should have just gone to the tourist shop since they're the ones who know out-of-towners. (She glares) I don't know why he would try to attack my familia like the crazy _bastardo_  that he is, but we want nothing to do with it. We have nothing to do with any rumors, or foundations, or any Ernesto de la Cruz! We have nothing to do with music, at all, you hear? (She slams a hand on the table) **No music!**

_ Prompted question: Why did you try to throw your slipper at the man? _

Try? (she huffs) I'd have hit him if you two hadn't stopped us. Especially when he's telling lies about our family and my Miguel.

_ Prompted question: What kind of things was he saying? _

He was saying things like "your family are all greedy bastards" or some other nonsense. I don't care, I don't listen to the words of madmen.

 

Department Notes: Do not provoke. Beware the shoe. ~~Alba, how is this relevant to her statement?~~

 

\--- PAGE 3

Witness: Toledo, Luis (43 y.o.)

Incident Witnessed:

I was just following up on some story that my boss wanted me to check out for the Ernesto de la Cruz Foundation, which is where I work. He said go to Santa Cecilia, then I go, you know? (he shrugs) Wanted me to check on a family from here. So I came, I was asking around the shops, because someone there always knows what's going on, and then this kid comes up and kicks me in the leg, even though I was just minding my own business. The little ~~brat~~ kid's the one who started it first, so why am I getting blamed?

_ Prompted question: Were you provoking the boy back? _

Look, (he sighs a deep breath) I had a long flight over, and I was just trying to get back to the hotel as soon as possible. I was tired, so something might have slipped out, but I wasn't actually trying to insult anyone!

_ Prompted question: Which family were you supposed to be checking on? _

I don't know their names, that's why I was asking around. But here (he pulls out a printout from his jacket pocket and lets us see it).

 _Action Taken:_ When we showed Elena Rivera a copy of the printout, she recognized 2 of the 3 people in the family photo as being from the Rivera family. She did not recognize the 3rd person, although her youngest grandson (Rivera, Miguel) showed some recognition.

 

Department Notes: Has mentioned suing the Rivera family over minor injuries to body and pride. I didn't know people from the big cities were so whiny. ~~Delete your last sentence Alba, especially if this report will be going to court~~

 

\--- PAGE 4

Witness: Rivera, Miguel (12 y.o.), with Rivera, Elena (65 y.o.) sitting in as guardian "because the baby is due soon"

 ~~Incident Witnessed~~ : Knowledge:

 (see below section)

 

Department Note: Miguel Rivera's grandmother did not give her permission to question him as a minor, but he still wanted to share some knowledge that he had while she was busy.

1\. Miguel said that he had posted his family photo on the Internet to try to find out more about his great-grand-father - Luis Toledo's interview made no mention of this, but Miguel states that the photo is the same one that he posted some time ago.

2\. He said that there were also some letters of his great-grand-father that he got the people from the tourist shop to check, since they seemed to have some link to Ernesto de la Cruz. They helped him get proof that the letters were real.

3\. So maybe that's why the people from the Ernesto de la Cruz Foundation were here? Because the letters being real meant that **de la Cruz is a fake!!?  ** ~~Alba, calm down~~     **!!!!!!!!!!!!!!**

This is as far as we got before the two interviews were completed. Elena Rivera and Luis Toledo walked out just in time to hear Miguel's last sentence, and then we had to spend the rest of the afternoon calming down both of them.

Also, Elena Rivera has very good aim with her shoe, and she is also very protective of her grandchildren. ~~You deserved it for going behind her back to talk to her grandkids~~

 

\--- PAGE 5 

** Incident Aftermath: **

This incident has already been ~~somewhat~~ rectified. We have decided that the noise complaint was minimal, and that there was no major destruction of any property. As such, all witnesses are free to leave the station.

 Luis Toledo has mentioned suing the Rivera family several times. As such, please do not put this file into the Archives until a minimum of half a year, as per station policy.

 

Reported By: R. Flores 

Reported By: S. Alba

 

\--- PAGE 6 

** Other Notes: **

 

~~Damnit Alba we're trying to be professional here~~

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: Sorry that this took longer than I'd planned... I really struggled with getting the voices right, and even then I'm not too sure that I got it down properly.
> 
> Also, I might have an unclear posting schedule for the next 2 weeks, but I'll try to keep updating as much as possible during this time.
> 
> More to follow :)


	9. Chapter 9

To: Rivera family

Santa Cecilia, Mexico

 

** Notice of Declaration **

 

To the Rivera family,

 Due to the well-publicized nature of your family's recent controversial postings regarding the Character of Ernesto de la Cruz, our client, the Ernesto de la Cruz Foundation (Trust of E.d.l. Cruz) has asked that you cease to continue your accusations; they also ask that you remove your initial postings on the social website Reddit.Com and other media at the earliest instant. 

If you are unwilling to comply, we will be forced to take legal action to clear the name of a good man. 

 

Yours Sincerely, 

 

_ Alberto Muniz _

_Senior Attorney_

_Muniz & Sons_

 

\---0--0--0---

 

To: Rivera family

Santa Cecilia, Mexico

 

** High Court of Mexico **

** Declaration of Hearing **

 

To the Defendant Rivera family, 

The Plantiff Ernesto de la Cruz Foundation (Trust of E.d.l. Cruz) has confirmed their agreement of a court hearing, regarding the Defamation of Character of the Foundation's idol and inspiration Ernesto de la Cruz.

Due to the public nature of the case, and with the permission of the High Court of Mexico, our legal team will push to have the court case confirmed and concluded at the earliest date possible.

 

Yours Sincerely, 

 

_ Alberto Muniz _

_Senior Attorney_

_Muniz & Sons_

 

\---0--0--0---

 

To: Rivera family

Santa Cecilia, Mexico

 

To the Rivera family, 

Please allow me to introduce myself. My name is Inéz Delgado, and I have been following the recent rumors of Ernesto de la Cruz as it unfolded in the public eye, when your story caught my attention. I have heard that the Ernesto de la Cruz Foundation has moved to sue your family for reasons yet unknown, although the fact that your family has so far been the only people to go all the way to court shows that your story contains some truth that the other side wishes to keep quiet. 

My law firm and I have always stood by our motto, "for the people"; as such, I would like to help represent your family in court, pro bono with your consent. 

Please send your reply to my email at your earliest convenience. 

 

Yours Sincerely, 

 

 

Inéz Delgado, Attorney

_desenrascanço_ ltd.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: I really thought that the last chapter was the hardest thing to write, guys, but this one really takes the cake... Writing legal stuff is tough XP
> 
> Sorry for the long wait, everyone!
> 
> More to follow :)


	10. Chapter 10

**DUDDDE**

omg omg omg

omg wat

ok, so today is brng ur kid to work day for my dad, so he did

u porr thing

wats up then?

he works as security, so sometimes hel be in court and shit so i got to go along. yay, right?

yes yes sounds boring. goodnite

no no im getting to the good part

Also YES YAY

???

bc shit this is awesome dude

im legit seeing de la cruz ppl suing a small kid and his fam

de la cruz like the singer

u mena that guy thats in all the news

sounds gfake but ok

tey tried to gt people to leave their phones but you know me im a rebel

this is fkicng real. they're talking about some letters that he posted or something?

didn't really catch what they said over all te shouting

who even shouts in court?

youd be surprised. so much drama so many tears

so just lke in movies and shit then

excite

nope, not always. but sometimes you get awesome shit like this

wow i think hat grandma just walloped that guy for calling her grandkid a liar

fierce respect

lol send me a pic

better yet

[video]

lmfao when that shoe flew in

#never mess with abuelita

ikr

shit ppl coming

\---

ok everything calmed down now

so boredddd

entertain me

:((

im surprised y haven't staged a breakout uet

i tired

*tried

but that too

evefyone is locked up

there' not even letting go to the bathroom

#hardcore

now everyone's just arguing about writing

???

wow so excite

no kiddding

dlc ppl saying notebook proved he wrote songs but kid's side arguing

they got letters with same lyrics

but these were written before his

whos right?

idfk too far away

also none of them letting other side see

so dumb

lol

even the judge looks fedup

\---

save me theyve been arguing for hrs

lol

how mch longer ?

they better wrap up soon

??

i ded

lmfao

so what sthe verdict?

hahaha lol nope

wont be so fast

no 1s' ready to give in

its like ww4 here

ww3?

no they already had that earlier

i think theyre calling an expert in 

for wat?

writing

seems legit

lol

really

ya really

there is legit a expert for writing stuff

and like handwriting shit

learn something new everyday i guess

lol imagine telling ppl wha u do

'hi i do handwriting'

but without the actual writing

haha so funny u

-_-

oh god theyre getitng up yay time to go

awesome

c u later?

yeah sur

oh shit dad saw the pheon

he pissed

rip dude

ttyl

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: Aahahahahaha what is court? Here's my take on covering a court case without getting into the technicalities that will bog it down too much. And it's only the first day!
> 
> I would also like to apologize for the long wait to all you readers. Thank you for your patience, and I hope to get back to my earlier posting schedule again.
> 
> More to follow :)


	11. Chapter 11

\-- **Muniz & Sons**\--

DAY ~~2~~ ~~4~~ ~~7~~ 9

notebook vs letters  
\- judge call on both sides to share copies with each side + writing EXP = ARGUE handwriting is different, since notebook writing is clearly messier  
EXP says similar writing for letters + notebook  
\- DFT call to get sample of DLC writing + verify test report  
can't prove whether notebook or letters were written first - testing done by outside EXPs date them in the same year  
EXP say DLC writing similar too, can't conclude either way  
conclude dead end for DFT

\----

\- DFT say DLC songs come out after dated letters - DFT provide list of recording dates vs letter dates  
\- ~~REBUT DLC staggered his songs out after writing them bc didnt know when insp would hit again~~  
\- REBUT cant conclude letters came before songs, maybe he heard the songs before they got recorded - DLC did a lot of live gigs before which he might have had overheard  
\- DFT say relying too much on maybes - REBUT still possible, DLC travelled a lot before he got signed on, v possible lyrics in letters are from that  
\- DFT say in lyrics in context of letter content not possible, writing to the daughter is shown to be insp by her eg remember me is their special song - REBUT she heard the song from DLC too  
\- DFT say not logical, no reason to write the lyrics in the letters if it was a random singer they watched - REBUT its DLC, not random - DFT say no reason to remember DLC back then bc hes not famous yet - REBUT v catchy song, the 2 of them liked it enough to ref it a lot  
\- DFT call witness C.RIV to the stand

q C.RIV  
\- how did you 1st hear the song from DLC? - DFT say leading q - judge concur  
\- how old were you when you 1st heard the song? - ARGUE too young to remember who wrote the song - DFT say she would remember who sings the song 1st - C says her papa sang it 1st  
\- what about DLC version? - C doesn't remember DLC  
\- RIV family interrupt, say C can sing it even now despite music ban - ARGUE can prove music ban? town testimony not objective enough - DFT say line of q not relevant  
\- C sings - ARGUE singing is slower than the recording, tempo not right - DFT say meant to be lullaby, so will be slower - show judge DLC music arrangement as proof - DFT say can't conclude DLC wrote the song  
no more qs for C.RIV  
\- ARGUE how well can C.RIV remember things? - DFT say not relevant but judge hold  
conclude undecided 

\----

guitar in photo  
\- DFT say guitar is the same - REBUT photo is copy of original, he was big fan of DLC  
\- DFT say DLC no receipt of getting guitar - REBUT no receipt then or DLC made it himself (*SEARCH how did DLC get guitar)  
DFT got receipt of purchase  
\- REBUT DLC saw similar design somewhere, inspired to make similar guitar  
\- judge call for us to provide receipt = (cant find anything!)  
\- ARGUE not related to plagiarism case - DFT say DLC stole guitar what else did he steal  
\- REBUT not proven, DFT trying to cast doubt on DLC - judge holds

DFT call witness M.RIV to the stand again

q M.RIV  
\- why do you think it's the same guitar - M say hes a big fan, guitar with colored tooth is unique that he can recognize anywhere, he also doublechecked in the shrine when he 1st saw the photo - ARGUE how can he be a big fan even though theres a music ban? - DFT say hes rebelling against RIV family, everyone does it at 1 pt or another, also if he didnt do this he wouldnt have found out the truth - REBUT he already said he was a big fan, maybe hes doing it for attention  
\- RIV family uproar - E.RIV throws a shoe again  
\- judge call to order

 

key:  
DFT = defendant  
DLC = de la cruz

 

 

\-- **Muniz & Sons**\--

 **Feedback** :

Intern Ana, when I ask you to note down the key points of a court case, I expect you to submit a legible copy for the archives, not your rough notes. Please re-do your report.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: Why do I keep doing this to myself...? I'm so sorry if this part seems to make less sense than usual, but I wanted to show some of the arguments during this court case, and now I'm all (X_X)
> 
> More to follow :)


	12. Chapter 12

\-----------------------------------------[TAB]

**Buzzfeed**

**Search for:** rivera

===============================

 

Watch: The Viral Video That Made #BAMFabuelita A Trending Topic

The original #BAMFabuelita. Watch Abuelita Rivera go up against a cocky lawyer and absolutely own it!

 

Highlights of Rivera vs De La Cruz 's 1st Week

Barely a week after the famous Rivera vs De La Cruz court case has started, we share some of the highlights so far.

 

17 Times Miguel Rivera Was Totally Relatable

Can I get a holler for Abuelita's tamales?

 

21 Things That Prove The Riveras Are #FamilyGoals

These are some of the cutest and most adorable moments with Miguel Rivera and his family.

 

Everything You Need To Know About Rivera vs De La Cruz

I'm sure that everyone and their pet rock has heard of De La Cruz, but who on earth are the Riveras? We'll share 35 of the facts that you definitely should know about this national news story.

 

 

 

\---------------------------------------------------------------[TAB]

**Buzzfeed**

**Search for:** de la cruz

===============================

 

Trending: Rivera V De La Cruz Case Stalls in Court

Neither side is willing to give in, and we can only watch from the sidelines as the epic battle progresses... unfortunately, we seem to be heading for a stalemate, and here's why.

 

The De La Cruz Scandal: A Timeline

It all started with a single Reddit post.

 

12 Facts You Need to Know About the De La Cruz Plagiarism Case

Oh man, the Ernesto de la Cruz Foundation is in _trouble_.

 

New Report Sparks Calls of Plagiarism by De La Cruz

A leaked report by the National Institute of Anthropology and History has led to rumors of plagiarism for the Cruz-man himself.

 

13 De La Cruz Songs That Are Still Relevant Today

Ernesto de la Cruz is a genius, and many of his works are as timeless as ever.

 

Would You Rather: De La Cruz Edition

Pick your favorite De La Cruz song and see how you measure up.

 

44 Favorite Ernesto De La Cruz Moments

Let's just go through all the reasons why I love this man so much, OK?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: And here we break for a lighter interlude... 
> 
> More to follow :)


	13. Chapter 13

 

_2018-03-10 09:30 pm (UTC)_

**mili-forev**  wrote

 

**An Analysis of Why the Rivera Family Is Screwed**

**aka. How the EDLCF lawyers are going to be earning that paycheck (✿◠‿◠)**

 

As everyone and their grandmothers know, the Ernesto De La Cruz Foundation is currently in the middle of suing the Rivera family for defamation. It's all very 'David vs. Goliath' stuff, or at least that's what the media would like to spin it. However, we've been covering this in our lectures recently (I'm a first-year Law student), and this is the conclusion that I reached about the EDLCF vs. Rivera family case:

 

**The Rivera Family Are _SCREWED_**

 

... Before you start hating, hear me out. ★~(◡﹏◕✿)

 

There are just some of the reasons why it's not going to end well for the Rivera family, if they keep choosing to pursue this. I'll just summarize as much as possible, without getting too technical.

 

_1\. The Rivera family don't know much about their mysterious Great-Grandfather (GG) Rivera_

 

Banning something like music entirely because a family member ran out on you might be a bit extreme for some people, but it really doesn't do the Rivera family any favors, especially when they really need to know as much as possible for this case to even stand.

 

The majority of their information on GG Rivera come from the letters he wrote, which were all addressed to his daughter Coco, with side notes for his wife Imelda (if you haven't seen the pictures from the National Institute report that was released, go [HERE](http://archiveofourown.org/works/12973290/chapters/29711103)). What can be concluded from these letters is that:

a) he was a doting father

b) probably in the doghouse with his wife for the rest of their lives, and that

c) he might have written or collaborated on some songs later credited to Ernesto De La Cruz

 

... that's it. That's all the information that's present.

 

Heck, no one even knows GG Rivera's  **NAME**! He signed all the letters with 'Your Loving Papa', and although it's a nice sentiment, it's not helping the Rivera family get any closer to finding out who he is. And because of that...

 

 

 

_2\. They can't prove how GG Rivera was linked with De La Cruz_

 

Sure, there are similarities in the letters and their infamous lyrics, and the songs of De La Cruz - very suspicious similarities, even. As a rebuttal, the EDLCF lawyers could always try the old 'found these abandoned songs in a storeroom' angle.

 

Or they could just point and laugh while the Rivera family struggles to find a physical link between GG Rivera and De La Cruz.

 

Remember, the first of the disputed 'stolen songs' was released just under a year after the last of the letters were written, so the timeline - assuming that De La Cruz really stole the song - includes learning how to play the song, meeting with various recording studios until one signs him on, recording the entire song and backing tracks, have the song released and turn into one of the most touching and beloved singles of all time... that is one very tight schedule for any one person to handle alone, not to mention the entire team of people needed to create even just 1 song.

 

You can bet if there was a mysterious songwriter involved, everyone on that original team should have known, or at least worked with him at some point.

 

But nada. Nothing. Zilch. That's an automatic point against the Riveras already, and the EDLCF have barely even started.

 

 _What about the guitar_ , you ask. _That's a definitely link, right? Since the design is the same as GG Rivera's._

 

Yeah, but 2 things looking the same doesn't mean zilch. It's like claiming that all Xoloitzcuintli owners know each other or something, like some sort of secret cult (⊙︿⊙✿)

 

Look, De La Cruz has claimed to be the originator of that famous design (whose copyright is now owned by the Foundation), but I highly doubt that he actually did it (remember that one interview where he was asked to draw a portrait? So, so bad). It's way more likely that the guitar makers liked the original design and decided to recreate it again.

 

 

 

(see more under the cut) 

 

 

 **Mood:** _Another one bites the dust_  - by _Queen_

 **Tags:**   de la cruz   rivera   review   law case   summary   op   edlc foundation lawyers are badass


	14. Chapter 14

**dela-cruzboat**  wrote

 

lately I'm been seeing all this pro-Rivera stuff on my feed, and I'm sick of it

as many of you know, I've been a big fan of Ernesto De La Cruz since I 'Remember Me' helped me get through the death of my grandfather 8 years ago, and over that time, there have been plenty of people who'd tried to smear his good name in the mud

it makes me angry to see that there are still some people who will try this sort of thing even today

as of this post, this is going to be an anti-Rivera account

so if you can't accept that, unfollow me

 

 

 

 

 

#de la cruz #anti-rivera post #callout

16206 notes

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**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: Firstly, I know it's been an even longer wait than before, so sorry about that. I realized that I went a bit off-course from my initial story outline, then had some indecisive decisions about how to proceed, which is why you're getting 2 chapters this time.
> 
> Yay... I think. Look, I know it looks bad now, but we'll get through this lawsuit together ＼（＾○＾）人（＾○＾）／
> 
> More to follow :)


	15. Chapter 15

| Google Search: Cruz Rivera recent news |

  

 

Public Vote: Who do you think is guilty? - Youtube

We've seen the **recent** **news** coverage of everything that's been going down... 3 people were arrested last week for attempting to graffiti the **Rivera** family's shop, and I think they deserved it... What do you guys think? Let me know in the comments, and if you're wrong, I'll fight you. To the death, since that's apparently what kids these days are up to. 

 

Anti- **Rivera** Petition Reaches Half A Million Signatures

Barely a month after the EDLC Foundation vs. **Rivera** case reached our screens, and already many have flocked together in support of the beloved singer, whether it be through gathered protests, or online. We **recently** talked with creator Ariel Gordon of a Change.org petition who has amassed quite the following... 

  

Ernesto De La **Cruz** Fans Remain Unified In Their Support

Amid the national interest in the story of the De La **Cruz** Foundation vs. **Rivera** case, De La **Cruz** fans remain united in their passion for the iconic singer. We attended several of the most **recent**  planned gatherings in Mexico City over the last month, and here's what everyone had to say... 

 

# **Rivera** scandal has been mixed up in another Twitter campaign

Once again, a Twitter campaign makes the news, and not in a good way. In Mexico, avid followers of the De La **Cruz** vs. **Rivera** case have taken to Twitter to show their support, using the hashtag # **Rivera** scandal... however, one unfortunate user @tweeme914 mixed up the **Riveras**  with another shoe company, posting #Riversandal to the company's confusion... 

 

Thousands of De La **Cruz** Fans Boycott **Rivera** Shoes

The **Riveras** are a major supplier of shoes in their region, but their **recent**  legal spat with the De La **Cruz** foundation is starting to hurt their business. Thousands of De La **Cruz** fans have taken to boycotting **Rivera** in favor of other brands, some going so far as to boycott stores selling their shoes... 

 

Protesters Hit Santa Cecilia In Waves

Since the start of the now much-publicized De La **Cruz** Foundation vs. **Rivera** case, plenty of fans have stepped forward to show their support one way or another, traveling to the tiny town of Santa Cecilia in droves and driving up tourism. As the Santa Cecilia Tourism Board statistics show, visitors have gone up by a record... 

 

**Riveras**  Receive Death Threats, Calls to Make This a National Investigation

It's sad to see when haters rise out of the dark depths of the Internet to haunt people in real life. And it's even worse when the target of hate is only a 12-year-old boy. But the **Riveras**  are not taking this lying down. "Due to the scope of our current legal case," a representative **recently** told reporters, "We are appealing to police to take this case seriously...

 

Santa Cecilia Rallies Around **Rivera** Family

With all the **recent** hate bombarding the **Rivera** family during the 'De La **Cruz** foundation vs. **Rivera** ' case, the city of Santa Cecilia have rallied together in support around one of their landmark businesses. Volunteers have taken to escorting family members outside, clearing away picketers for crowding, and even cleaned up the increased graffiti around the area...

 

Ernesto De La **Cruz** foundation to continue their Outreach programs

A representative for the EDLC Foundation spoke to reporters earlier today to confirm that their on-going 'Outreach' programs for rural students would still continue as planned. "Despite our recent media coverage focusing on the lawsuit, which we are not legally able to comment on, we still strive to provide Mexico's children with access to follow their artistic...

 

This Week's Updates: De La **Cruz** vs. **Rivera** case stalled

What's got everybody talking? We bring to you the highlights of the week... in **recent** **news** , the Ernesto De La **Cruz** vs. **Rivera** case hit a small snag, as neither side has any more evidence to present to the judge. Let's hope that someone pulls off a small miracle so that we can get this over and done with... 

 

 

 

G    **o** o o o o o o o o  o gle

 **1** 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: Some more ripples in the ocean of viewers...
> 
> More to follow :)


	16. Chapter 16

THE TALK OF TODAY PODCAST OFFICIAL TRANSCRIPT (EXCERPTS)

 

PH: Hello, everybody, and welcome back to our Talk of Today - where we give you our thoughts on the most-talked about things on the planet! And today, we're going to be discussing one of the most controversial topics of the past few months right here in our lovely Mexico City, and that is the Ernesto De La Cruz vs Rivera debate!

We asked you to send us your questions a while back, but kept getting so many responses as the court case progresses in the media. Sorry that we're only covering this topic now - we received so many questions from all of you, and needed to sort through them all. Unfortunately, we can't respond to every question, but we've tried our best to pick some that we haven't really heard much about or that we thought were pretty interesting, so here we are now. Keep in mind that most of this podcast is just going to be our speculations though - I don't want to get any hate mail from you guys.

Let's get started! OK, first question here, as read by our wonderful guest speaker...

...

**GS: OK, this is from 'Lauren' - thanks for writing in. "How come the Riveras don't know their grandfather's name? Can't they just check through the wedding records for their family? I'm asking because even the small towns should have a records hall." Good question.**

PH: I know we checked up on this, because you can bet this is one of the first things that everyone thinks of. And what we found out was that, in a bit of unfortunate luck, the Santa Cecilia records building had a fire about 15 years ago - it even made it into their newspapers. Many of the records were lost, although most of the residents had their own certificates that they could make a copy from. Except the Riveras can't actually find their own copy of the wedding certificate, so that's why there's no backup version to check.

**GS: That's s**tty luck.**

PH: Yeah, it really is. The Riveras have no idea where the Rivera matriarch Imelda did with the family copy... she could have secretly hid it somewhere, gave it away, burned it after her husband left... Who knows?

**GS: What about birth certificates? That should work, right?**

PH: One of the Riveras took a picture of Coco Rivera's cert, but the name of the father had actually been scribbled out or something... There's a huge mark over the name. Looks like a 'N' or 'M' at the front - 'Nicolas'? 'Manuel'? ... Maybe even 'Miguel'?

**GS: Wait, let me pull up the picture on my phone... hmm... I don't know. It looks more like a 'H' to me... 'Hugo', maybe? 'Humberto', 'Hector'... what other 'H' names are there? *laughs* I might be reading it wrong though.**

...

**GS: "If De La Cruz had a partner that performed with him, why didn't any of the historians pick up on it? There's been a lot of coverage of De La Cruz's journey to fame, like in that one TV series. But it's all a solo act." And then there's a bit more about his opinion about De La Cruz, but it's not relevant.**

PH: Firstly, when you say TV series, I think that might be a reference to that documentary, 'Journey to the Top'?

**GS: Iconic. I watched it a couple of years ago, although I think it only covered the point from his first recording contract onwards. If I remember correctly.**

PH: Yeah, it did. Me and the team watched it again last week as a refresher for this episode. And regarding the performance records, there's actually very little about what De La Cruz was up to before he got to Mexico City - most of what the historians, and us, know about his listings back then come from the Red Bible of De La Cruz, also known as the One True Songbook, the Written Book of Songwriting, etc.

**GS: *laughs* That's a lot of titles.**

PH: Haha... no, seriously. A couple of the research essays that I looked over before this actually used all of these names as descriptions.

**GS: Oh dear God.**

PH: Yeah, that's academia for you. Or someone looking to pad up their word count, I guess.

**GS: And back to the topic...**

PH: Oh yeah... sorry guys. Apart from the original diary/songwriting book of De La Cruz, there's not a whole bunch of records out there about the original journey to Mexico City. Even back then, record-keeping wasn't the greatest in these sort of small towns, especially for outsiders.

Well, the Riveras have their letters as well, but they haven't been proven yet...

**GS: Technically they're proven to be real? The Institute released a report that the letters are authentic-**

PH: -It only proves that they were written in the right time period-

**GS: -But there've been comparisons to what we actually know, and has been recorded, and it looks legit.**

PH: Yes, but keep in mind that even back then, people *cough* might have _lied_. They do that, sometimes.

...

PH: There's been some talks about another documentary to track the original path that De La Cruz took to get to Mexico City... I hear it's going to be green-lit soon, especially with all this hype in the media.

**GS: Definitely. It's such a huge topic, of _course_ people'd be crazy not to approve this.**

PH: I'm... somewhat excited? I heard it's going to set up like an investigation, like a crime drama or a similar format, which sounds cool. But I have wonder if there'll be anything new, or if it's just going to be a rehash of what we already know.

**GS: I'm looking forward to it. It'll be interesting to many people, to see if they can spot an interaction between De La Cruz's path and the mysterious Rivera grandfather at some point.**

PH: They'd have to find a usable link first.

...

**GS: Another question here, from **"moonspringseternal", who wanted a mention on this show - hi there! -**  A lot of people are saying that the De La Cruz Foundation are suing the Riveras for defamation... but I've checked through the original posts by Miguel, and there's nothing that can be confirmed as that? It's all just speculation, and then the Internet just blew it out of proportion. If anything, the De La Cruz Foundation should be suing that journalist that started it all instead!**

PH: Hmm... A very good question. We're looked through the available transcripts ourselves - the stuff that's been released to the public, anyway - and we still had to ask our lawyer friends what's up with that. In short, yes, the original Reddit posts by Miguel can't be considered 'defamation'.

The case would probably be open-and-shut, were it not for the altercation between one of the Foundation's people and BAMF Abuelita Rivera. Basically, both sides said some pretty unsavory comments about Miguel and De La Cruz respectively, in full view of witnesses, and _that's_ what the De La Cruz Foundation is basing their case on. The police records for the incident have not been released, but the fact that they've been brought to the courtroom itself is a big indicator.

**GS: Not only that, since the start of the case, the Riveras now have the opportunity to countersue, since this case, and all the outcry, has impacted their business and their lifestyle.**

PH: I think, at this point, the Riveras are probably getting sick of all this infamy. Don't they have a baby coming soon? They'll be better off closing this case, _fast_.

...

**GS: OK, this next question makes no sense when reading. "Do you think that the Riveras are true? If so, what's going to happen to the songs by De La Cruz?"**

PH: Er... OK? That is actually 2 questions... But I'll try my best to speculate on what you mean.

**GS: This sounds a bit like a question about copyright issues.**

PH: I guess this question could be read that way... Well, in that case, the copyright for the songs currently rests with the De La Cruz Foundation, as per the Will of De La Cruz. So if the Foundation win the case, then the status quo remains for the songs. But... if the Riveras are actually speaking the truth, win the case, then the actual song rights _should_ be transferred over to the Rivera family.

**GS: Which will probably be a huge hassle, if you think about it. Since it's worth so much, the tax for that transaction is going to be HUGE!**

PH: Which is why I think that the Foundation will try to buy the rights off the Riveras - buy back the rights? - It'll make more sense since the De La Cruz version is so well-known... plus, the calculations over who gets what percentage will be so troublesome. The De La Cruz foundation should just pay the original worth of the song and be done with it.

**GS: But then the Foundation are free do to future covers of the song.**

PH: I don't think that the Rivera family could keep the songs to themselves, even if they wanted to. If you think about it, some of these songs are hugely popular. They are widely-covered even today - at last viewing, there's over 350,000 videos on Youtube itself for "Remember Me", and the Foundation isn't suing them all. Unless the Riveras want to try to sue everyone on Youtube-

**GS: I think you're going off-topic here.**

PH: -the fact is, even if the Riveras win the song rights or whatever, they can't police covers of the songs themselves, unless the singer is making money off of it without their permission. It's like the copyright cases that we've seen play out before.

...

PH: Thanks once again to everyone who submitted in their questions. Sorry we couldn't cover everything, but I wanted to keep this episode within the time limit.

**GS: Seriously. I helped to sort out the questions, and there were. So. _Many_. Of them.**

PH: Haha... if there's enough interest I might do a follow-up episode in the future, maybe after the case closes - _when_ it closes. We'll see how it goes.

**GS: Good luck with that.**

PH: Thanks. I'm going to need it.

 

_Key: PH = Podcast Host. GS: Guest Speaker._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: I've received quite a number of comments, some pointing out some major plotholes in this story... and here's my attempt to cover my ass, so to speak. Hopefully these answer your questions in a plausible way... I've read through this so many times it's starting to not make sense to me now (x.x)
> 
> More to follow :)


	17. Chapter 17

**Ernesto De La Cruz Foundation Thanks Supporters**

Earlier today, the Ernesto De La Cruz Foundation released a short statement, thanking the iconic singer's fans for their support throughout the trial.

"As this case continues, we would like to thank everyone for their help through these turbulent times, and hope to get back to business as soon as possible."

As of this article, the Rivera vs. Ernesto De La Cruz Foundation case looks to be coming to a close soon. We wish them all the best!


	18. Chapter 18

**Incident Report**

**Staff Reporting:**  Raoul Sosa, Maintenance department

 **Time of Incident:**  2:00 AM, Thursday 20XX-XX-XX

 

**Incident Summary:**

There was a mis-function of the humidifier in Storage Container R-45 (books, journals, and other paperwork), leading to the dissolving of book bindings and paper linings for up to 36 items. Our electricians are still looking into the cause of the mis-function, and will file a report once we have gathered concrete news.       

 

**Appendix:**

[    ] Nothing

[ x ] See attached for a full list of the affected items

 

**Other Remarks:**

Upon recovering the affected items, we discovered several extra papers within the pages of several books. We have scanned them to the server for the Archival staff to sort and review.          

 

 

See next page for full details of incident >

 


	19. Chapter 19

**BREAKING NEWS!!! ERNESTO DE LA CRUZ INCLUDES KEY EVIDENCE IN THEIR LATEST RELEASE**

 

Talk about a costly mistake! Earlier this week, the Ernesto De La Cruz Foundation released their annual financial records for public viewing... with a twist!

 

As part of their yearly accounting, the Ernesto De La Cruz posts up their financials for their investors. But, unknown to all, buried deep within the pages of facts and numbers of this year's figures lay a treasure beyond imagination.

 

Many eagle-eyed viewers soon pointed out the discrepancies - there were several documents, totally unrelated to the annual report, hidden in plain view!

 

The Foundation soon realized their error and pulled the original pictures, but by then, photos of the offending documents were already circulating in social media all over the world.

 

In particular, plenty of people have added their input on this error, with the Internet collectively calling it "#OopsErnesto". As one such poster put it,

 

["They literally just handed the sole key piece of evidence that the Riveras needed. Heads are gonna roll over at the Foundation after this mistake. #OopsErnesto" (@ahmaria9016). ]

 

The Ernesto De La Cruz Foundation have declined to comment so far. Stay tuned for more updates!


	20. Chapter 20

@ahmaria9016  
They literally just handed the sole key piece of evidence that the Riveras needed #OopsErnesto

@wilderwerethingsr  
can i just say, i told u so? (1/?)

@jjstymisty119  
@edlcfoundation [picture: you had 1 job, guys] #OopsErnesto

@starthitgetsht2424  
@edlcfoundation People want to know: is this just real life? or is it fantasy? #oopsernesto

@wilderwerethingsr  
@edlcfoundation released their financials... but accidentally included a few interesting documents with the rest of the papers #OopsErnesto (2/?)

@plupfacthings171  
@wilderwerethingsr [gif: Mr Burns posing, "Interesting."]

@justowlthings12  
@edlcfoundation bad luck man. all the bad luck. to you, i mean #oopsernesto

@wilderwerethingsr  
most notably, a wedding certificate between mystery man hector and imelda rivera, and witnessed by de la cruz himself #OopsErnesto (3/?)

@bing8ing8ing  
@ahmaria9016 dont u thnk ure jumping the gun a it too fast? so wat they knew each other? those fake riveras still need to bring more proof

@little6big  
@justowlthings12 wth did @edlcfoundation ever do to you man? knock it off

@a77kon717an  
@bing8ing8ing 'fake riveras' lol

@wilderwerethingsr  
im so excited? this really marks a big change for the ongoing rivera case. They couldn't prove the grandfather stuff before (4/?)

@pinkerman718  
@a77kon717an @bing8ing8ing conspiracy theory: where are the 'real' riveras?

@wilderwerethingsr  
and here their opponent literally walks right up to them and hands it to them and the world #OopsErnesto (5/?)

@justowlthings12  
@little6big none of your biz

@rrealiityyy999  
@pinkerman718 lol im a real rivera pick me senpai

@wilderwerethingsr  
edlcf's defense literally just went down the drain, guys... #OopsErnesto (6/6)

@ahmaria9016  
Heads are gonna roll over at the Foundation after this mistake #OopsErnesto

@bring_er  
@ahmaria9016 i cant wait! #OopsErnesto #GoodLuckRiveras

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: Hi everyone, sorry for the long wait. There were a couple of reasons why I paused for a while.
> 
> Firstly, I got into a new fandom - yay! I suddenly had a lot of plot bunnies chasing after me, and got distracted from this story for a while, while I fleshed out the ideas that I had. So, if anyone is interested, I do plan to write in the MHA fandom after this story is completed... but no need to worry, this fic will still be my priority until it's finished.
> 
> Speaking of which... I read through everyone's comments for the last chapter that I published before today. I need to thank everyone that helped with their ideas on the legal process and such... but after debating with myself, I feel like drawing out the legal battle any more will drag the story on too much (this section original only had 3 points in my plot outline!).
> 
> As such, with the new revelation in these chapters I just posted (from chapter 17 onwards), the legal battle may take a bit of a backburner to the rest of the story, although it will still be ongoing in the background. I hope this will satisfy everyone's expectations - feel free to leave your thoughts and comments to let me know what you think.
> 
> More to follow :)


	21. Chapter 21

**theresnoteaminpizza** wrote

 

**news gonna be like**

   DE LA CRUZ DOES AN OOPS, INTERNET EXPLODES

   Last week, the Internet was collectively shook with the accidental release of several private documents related to the on-going De La Cruz vs. Rivera case...

 

**u dont say ¯\\_(ツ)_/¯**

 

   3 FIRED IN WAKE OF DE LA CRUZ LEAK

   ... among those fired was 41 year old Luis Toledo, last known for incurring the wrath of #BAMFabuelita herself, Elena Rivera, in his ill-fated trip to Santa Cecilia.

   The Foundation have declined to comment.

 

**he got mud on his face, the big disgrace ** **(ﾉ･_-)☆******

 

   ERNESTO DE LA CRUZ FOUNDATION STAY SILENT

   No news from the Ernesto De La Cruz Foundation on the recent revelations accidentally broadcasted to the public last weekend...

 

**wow what relevation. a news,..**

 

**better pass this on to every1 i know (∩^o^)⊃━☆*+:｡.✧♪●♩○♬☆♩✧♪●♩○♬☆♩✧♪●♩○♬☆♩✧♪●♩○♬☆♩✧♪●♩○♬☆♩**

 

#de la cruz #scandal #de la cruz vs rivera #riveras #wow so much facepalm

\--0--

 **angerybea**  wrote 

Now _THIS_ is the quality content I want to see from my feed

 

#oops ernesto #u had 1 job #rip edlcf #anti-edlc #go riveras #i can now tell my grandkids #i was there when the music died 

\--0--

 **bebabybe**  wrote 

 

You hear that? 

 

_It's the sound of Hector Rivera's revenge from beyond the grave_

 

#ernesto dela cruz #anti dela cruz #riveras #rivera's revenge #breaking the internet #karma came and conquered #dela cruz is his bitch

\--0--

 **keithsaysisayboo**  wrote

  

I wake up and the world's gone craY

...

...

**(@_@)**

 

#ernesto de la cruz #riveras #reblogging for tags #breaking the internet

 

7212 notes

\--0--

 **speakerofkeys**  liked

 **jaimejamiejamei**  reblogged

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 **tacnochg**  liked

 **speakerofkeys** reblogged

     #karma came for toledo too

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 ** **questionmark**** liked

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 **thinkofsweeties**  reblogged

     Yay riveras!

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show more notes

 

 


	22. Chapter 22

  **Instagram**

 

_[Picture: Wide shot of a wall mural]_

 

**527 likes**

**[  ] MarianGoes**  Went home for the first time in 5 years, and guess what's new! I think it's supposed to be a picture of our town history, but since this place is basically a Pit Stop(TM) to Mexico the closest we've got is all the celebrities that visited #hometown #holiday #visiting the family 

 

 ** **[  ] pelletta**  **OMG is that Macaria Vega on the left? #macariavega

 **[  ] dhere.how** how'd they get everyone together for the camera? 

 **[  ] MarianGoes**  @dhere.how My cousin said that actually they used old photos from the town archives for reference. They're not actually all from the same time

 **[  ] dailyrockey** Time to play "guess that celebrity", Mexico edition

 **[  ] instasayswho**  That guy in the middle looks familiar... Is that #ErnestoDLC 

 **[  ] dabbingdukes**  @instasayswho yeah he is the one next to the guitar man

 **[  ] ilikeTurtles** 5 years!!?! I can't even go 1 WEEK without my parents calling me to see how I'm doing

 **[  ] **instasayswho** ** I can recognize #ErnestoDLC because of the guitar... oops that's not De La Cruz  #mysterymusician

 **[  ] Ritalinny** Visit your parents more often! XP 

 **[  ] **iliketurtles****  Unpopular opinion: that is a rivera in the middle

 

 

[Write a comment... ]

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: Firstly, for those that were wondering, yes I did change my username. Hoping this doesn't affect any bookmarks or anything *fingers crossed*
> 
> (Long story short, my previous username was from ages ago, and I didn't want to change it for various reasons... then I read a post on Tumblr that basically spelt out everything wrong about it, so I panicked and finally changed it on like 3 hours of sleep)
> 
> *cough*
> 
> Back to the A/N. At this point, I feel like I should probably stop apologizing for the update delays. But I will apologize if this update feels a bit weird. I'm been staring at it for so long, my brain's forgetting how to ... 0.0
> 
> *blink*
> 
> Anyway, I'm so excited that the story has come to this point... it's gonna be fun to write out the other stuff I have planned XD
> 
> And it's only just the start. More to follow :)


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